Foods High In Iron

Earlier on, in this same blog ... I had posted this same article under http://greensanctuary56.blogspot.com/2010/12/health-benefits-of-seaweeds.html .... and surprisingly, this article has attracted more than 200 readers. I have been promoting this item to my circle of friends and indeed, many have found this item helpful in resolving some of their health problems. Incidentally, the reason why this article appears again today ... I happened to come across this person who is a wholesaler for this seaweed. He has been exporting in huge volumes, both for domestic and international markets. Attached herewith, please find some pictures of his packing and his selling prices are as follows : Price per packet  :  Msian Ringgitt 15.00  (USD $ 5.00) Exclusion  :  Above price does not include local postage or oversea postage Weight  :  200 gm Condition  :  Dried form Storing  :  Will last a long time as it is dried under the open sky, as soon...

McDonald's recently introduced  Fruit and Maple Oatmeal. Finally, something for us Clean Eaters on the go. Official ingredients listed are "100% natural whole grain oats, brown sugar, and cream topped mixed with diced fresh apples, dried cranberries, and regular and golden raisins." However, analysis by researchers has revealed that this little 9 oz cup has more sugar than a Snickers bar , and only 10 fewer calories than an Egg McMuffin or a plain cheeseburger . Even without the brown sugar - it still has more calories than a plain hamburger. McDonald's has been billing this as "a bowlful of wholesome." I'd call it a bowlful of Bad Food. I'm pointing this out because sometimes as Clean Eaters we get blinders on to foods like these. "Oatmeal - what could be more wholesome than that? I can eat that." Once again - eyes open. Read labels, question what you are eating. Be aware that advertising is exactly that. I want you as a Clean Eater to lo...

I found this fairly helpful explanation of organic food labels over at  Marketwatch.com while looking for something completely different. It's a really clear and simple explanation of those confusing labels that seem to be popping up on all kinds of products. Here's a crash course in label reading from Consumer Reports: What to buy      "100% Organic." Translation: By law, a product with this label has to be made entirely of certified organic ingredients, produced in accordance with federal organic standards, and include no synthetics. Conclusion: You get what you pay for.  "Organic." Translation: Products bearing this label are required to contain no less than 95% certified organic ingredients. The remaining 5%: Non-organic and synthetic ingredients. Conclusion: Good and (mostly) good for you. "Made with Organic Ingredients." Translation: These products contain a 70/30 split of organic ingredients and other non-organ...

Nowadays, it is nothing uncommon for patients, who are actually experiencing a pinched nerve condition, are been told by their attending doctors that they are suffering from bone-spur. Only the experienced doctors will go to the extent of explaining such condition in the proper manner. I have included an article which I have found to be very informative, extracted from the website of arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com for everyone's reading pleasure. ***** A pinched nerve refers to a condition where there is nerve root irritation or nerve root compression. This nerve problem can occur either in the spine or in a more peripheral location. Symptoms include numbness, "pins and needles" or burning sensations, and pain radiating outward from the injured area. Numbness, a loss of feeling or sensation, usually arises from damage or disease of nerves. Numbness is often associated with or preceded by abnormal pain-like sensations often described as pins-and-needles, pri...

One thing I hear, over and over from people ( women AND Men ) as we discuss Clean Eating, and the great results both in weight and health I've experienced, is a variant on the following.: "You don't drink soda? Not at all ? Oh, I wish I could stop drinking Diet Coke." "I eat really healthy , barely anything processed - but I couldn't give up Diet Coke." " I am a Diet Coke fiend!" Over and over, I hear some form of the phrases above. There are 3 very valid reasons to use your logical brain and put aside diet sodas of all kinds. This article Artificial Sweetened Beverages: Cause for Concern recently appeared in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association - the US' leading medical journal and association. Boiled down, it says: 1. Our body gets confused by artificial sweeteners – the dissociation between sweet taste and calorie intake may put the regulatory system that controls hunger and body weight out of sync, thus sabotaging ...

 Google Search Term Users: Please note: I've retracted this post and can no longer promote their consumption - please see this post here: SeaPak Salmon Burgers - a Retraction Today I tried Seapak brand salmon burgers for the first time. Normally about $8.99 for a box of 4 burgers ( pricey! ), they are on sale this week at my grocery store - Buy 1 box, get one free. Seeing as how I had two $1 off coupons as well - I got 2 boxes for $6.99: a much better deal. Each 91 gram salmon patty provides 110 calories, 5 grams of total fat, 1 gram of which is saturated (7% and 4% of the daily value), 340 mg cholesterol (12% of the DV), 340 mg sodium (12% of the DV), no fiber or sugars and 16 grams of protein with a smoky taste and a vaguely meatloaf like consistency once grilled. I was not put off by that consistency. They come 2 in a plastic vac bag, frozen solid. I let a pack thaw overnight, and grilled them on my George Foreman grill for lunch today. Be advised they are a raw product. You ...

Always one who is distracted by shiny objects, while in the grocery store today I passed by the newstand and saw the new issue of Clean Eating Magazine, March 2011. Needless to say, it took a lot of focus to stick the errand at hand and not stop to peruse. In this month's issue: * A really nice collection of 15 minute meals - simple, easy and clean. * A fantastic discussion on herbs, and recipes that focus on individual herbs ( You know, I don't know if I've ever used chevril... ) * A useful discussion on different rice cookers available, and 3 rice varieties you might not have tried

How beautiful a curry is this? CE Eve friend and reader  North sent me this great recipe he made for his family from this month's issue of Real Simple magazine. He reports it is delicious, and recommends using gold curry for a zestier, richer curry flavor. Adjust as necessary to suit your tastes. Ingredients 1/3 cup tomato paste 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons curry powder 1 tablesppon grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 medium onion, chopped 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 10) kosher salt / sea salt and black pepper 1 1/2 cups brown rice ( original recipe calls for white... ) 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt *** 2 scallions, thinly sliced Note : Original recipe calls for fully fatted, whole milk Greek yogurt. Look at the fat grams in a cup of that stuff, and decide for yourself whether or not to use the "high test" Greek yogurt or opt for low or...

Cooking tuna steaks is relatively easy, yet few people try it at home. Don't mistake this for the tuna you get from a can; it is much , much different.  A neutral oil like canola or a light olive oil, a little seasoning...and you are good to go. Don't overcook your tuna; it's really not as flavorful when cooked all the way through.

The concept of snacking on most diets is frowned upon - "3 squares a day, no extras!"  Clean Eating requires it. Demands it. You will be able to maintain more wholesome choices at your traditional meals if in between, you chose smart snacks that are enough to tide you over but are unprocessed ( to abide by the Clean requirement ) and low in fat/calories. Some facts: Snacking keeps your metabolism humming. Research suggests that, like a charge for a battery, eating about three meals a day with two or three snacks in between can make your metabolism more efficient. Think of your metabolism like a little fire in your stomach. A little food is the fuel you throw into the fire to keep it burning strong .For some people, that means stoking it every 2½ hours; for others, it’s every 3½ hours. The point is never to let your energy wane or to go without a bite for so long that you get ve...

Bad processed foods come in all shapes and sizes. I found this to be more than just difficult to swallow; there are 3 foods on here I used to eat on a regular basis ! ( I'll leave you to guess which 3 they are... ) 1. Judging by the label, Marie Callender’s (16.5 oz) Chicken Pot Pie has 520 calories, 11 grams of saturated fat, and 800 mg of sodium. But look again. Those numbers are for only half a pie. Eat the entire pie, as most people probably do, and you’re talking 1,040 calories, 22 grams of saturated fat (more than a day’s worth), and 1,600 mg of sodium (an entire day’s worth). 2. Can’t decide what to pick from a restaurant menu? No worries. Now you can order not just one entrée, but two … or three … all at once. Olive Garden’s Tour of Italy – Homemade Lasagna, Lightly Breaded Chicken Parmigiana, and Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo – comes with 1,450 calories, 33 grams of saturated fat, and 3,830 milligrams of sodium. Add a breadstick (150 calories and 400 mg of...

Green Giant - .50 off 1 bag, any variety Since Green Giant frozen vegetables often go on sale for $1 a bag in my area, this means free frozen veggies - my favorite variety of veggie! Click on the banner in the lower right hand corner - if you hit the Back button after the coupon prints and hit "resend", you can print the coupon a second time...perfectly legit. ( Just make sure you buy the kind without any added sauces or seasonings...JUST the veggies! )

What is for breakfast this morning? Stuck in a yogurt rut ( like me? ) or just grabbing some fruit? It's cold outside and your body would like a kick start from the slumber the night before. Oatmeal is Clean and ready in minutes. 1) Oatmeal is natural and nearly unprocessed. Oatmeal is healthy and natural for one basic reason – it’s made entirely of oats, which are very healthy grains. And even better, the oats are nearly unprocessed. That’s what really sets oatmeal apart from cereals that come out of a box.(Those cereals are usually just white flour plus some added nutrients to make it appear healthy, when in actuality most nutrients were already stripped out of the ingredients during the processing.) Steel cut oatmeal is preferable to regular - but regular can make for a faster prep and any oatmeal is good oatmeal - so don't sweat it if you buy regular over steel cut. 2) Oatmeal keeps you full. Oatmeal keeps you full longer than most other foods. Since the oats are w...

I was looking for something different to try the other day, and remembered I had wanted to try aduki beans. I have seen them in the "organic canned goods" section of my grocery store, so I picked up a can to try. Not inexpensive, by the way... Upon opening, I was surprised by how small aduki beans are - imagine a can of baked beans - miniaturized. I drained them, and then tasted them straight from the can. The only word I can use to describe them is "green." You know that fresh grass taste? The taste of green plants? That is what they taste like - very unexpected. I portioned the can in half, and heated up one half. Warm, they tasted like warm grass. Honestly? Unpleasant. I turned to the bowl of cold beans. I offered a small spoonful to my  husband. He ate them, deemed them odd, but offered that they might be good in a cold pasta or bean salad - to give a conflicting but distinct flavor. This isn't a bad observation. However...I can't say I will add these to...

Here's an interesting website to try: Where Is My Milk From? Just enter the numerical code from the carton of milk in your fridge, and this site will identify the dairy and location where it was produced. See the "18-1000" part? That is the code. 18 designates the state, 1000 designates the dairy. For a lark, I entered the 2 containers in my fridge - 1 organic, 1 not. Not Organic: locally produced about 40 miles from me. Organic: Littleton, CO. Seriously? My organic milk traveled several thousand miles to get to me? I find that hard to believe - but the code on the carton was very clear - Colorado. Not exactly "eating green" IMO.  I've identified the code for my state, and I think I'll be looking for that from now on... Interesting site.

Brother in law was across the table from me at Sunday dinner. My family all knows I am a Clean Eater, and he decided he wanted to know more about CE. I obliged, gladly. We discussed the Basic Tenents of Clean Eating , what I eat, what I don't...and then we got to the deal breaker. Brother in Law ( hereafter referred to as BIL ): What about alcohol? Me: Alcohol is considered unclean. BIL: Why? Me: Anything that doesn't provide nutritional value - something that is either negative to your system , or neutral, can be considered unclean. Alcohol has little nutritional value - so...unclean. BIL: But...but...beer. Beer is water, hops, barley - clean, right? Me: In technical terms, yes - but beer doesn't really have nutritional benefits. It doesn't "add" to you, other than giving you a beer belly. The alcohol in it is really...bad for your system. BIL: Beer makes me happy. I don't want to give it up. Doesn't something that makes your body happy count for some...

I like beans, and I like chicken. I like recipes that can use leftovers. This one seems to fit the bill nicely. Lean proteins, veggies, flavor. Clean. Cannellini beans, or white kidney beans, are smaller than Great Northern beans and add just the right texture. Great for picnics or lazy-day suppers, this salad stirs together in a flash. Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups) Ingredients 2  cups coarsely chopped skinless, boneless chicken 1  cup  chopped tomato 1/2  cup  thinly sliced red onion 1/3  cup  sliced fresh basil 2  (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained Dressing: 1/4  cup  red wine vinegar 2  tablespoons  extra virgin olive oil ...

The bounty of exotic and different fruit in most larger grocery stores begs to be tried, at least once. You might find a new favorite if you reach beyond your comfort zone with fruits and veggies and try something new. Adding a new Clean food is a very good thing! Have you tried...Cactus Pear (Prickly Pear)   Origins: Cactus pears are popular in Mexico, the American Southwest, the Mediterranean, South Africa and Israel. Native Americans once considered the fruit a delicacy. Description: With an intense flavor similar to watermelon and ripe berries, cactus pears can be peeled and eaten raw, or pureed for sauces, desserts and drinks. Their syrup can be used for jelly, jam and candy. Cactus pears have a firm, meaty texture with small, crunchy (edible) seeds. Lore: Israel natives earned the nickname “sabras” because they supposedly resemble a cactus pear — rough on the outside, but sweet on the inside. Key Nutrition Value: Along with being high in vitamin C, magnesium ...

1. Artificial Sweeteners Aspartame, (E951) more popularly known as Nutrasweet and Equal, is found in foods labeled "diet" or "sugar free". Aspartame is believed to be carcinogenic and accounts for more reports of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives combined. Aspartame is not your friend. Aspartame is a neurotoxin and carcinogen. Known to erode intelligence and affect short-term memory, the components of this toxic sweetener may lead to a wide variety of ailments including brain tumor, diseases like lymphoma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue, emotional disorders like depression and anxiety attacks, dizziness, headaches, nausea, mental confusion, migraines and seizures. Acesulfame-K, a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baking goods, gum and gelatin, has not been thoroughly tested and has been linked to kidney tumors. Read more about the dangers of Aspartame ...

I continue to struggle to find an acceptable Clean salad dressing. Here's a recipe that may be as close as you can get to a traditional bottled ranch dressing. A good Clean Eating salad dressing is good to find! Traditional ranch dressing is full of weird ingredients like xanthan gum (which keeps the dressing thick yet pourable), disodium phosphate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, MSG (a flavor enhancer), and calcium disodium EDTA (a preservative). The homemade version, courtesy of Ellie Krieger's site, Healthy Living With Ellie 2 tbs has only 50 calories instead of the 150 in the bottled dressing - and the sodium level is 70 mg, instead of over 250 mg for the bottled. Ingredients: 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or 1/3 cup plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt 1/3 cup lowfat buttermilk 3 tbsp mayonnaise 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1 tbs finely chopped fresh chives salt to taste Steps: If using regular yogurt, plac...

Hey - one of the Big 4 weighs in on Clean Eating: Every human being is the author of his own health or disease. - Buddha We control what happens to us. We control whether the body we've been given is a healthy, vital machine...or a broken down piece of carp. 

I'm always looking to add a little something different to my cooking - a signature dish, something with flair - something differrent. This afternoon as I enjoyed a handful of raisins at my desk, a co-worker mentioned his wife marinates raisins and then serves them with chicken, or veggies and they are really good. He mentioned a few herbs ( he's not a cooking sort of guy... ) and left it at that. I found this recipe on the  Sun-Maid Raisin site site that sounds exactly like what was described to me. I'l eager to try these. Stir into caramelized sweet yellow onions and use as a pizza topping with mozzarella and goat cheese; or fill appetizer phyllo cups, top with goat cheese and bake until warm; or spoon into baked acorn or butternut squash halves. For a tasty side dish, toss with roasted carrots during last 5 minutes of baking. Ingredients 3/4 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 te...

I like to share other nifty websites I've found. After a conversation today about sweet potatoes, I knew I'd be posting this website: EndlessSimmer.com: 100 Ways to Cook a Sweet Potato. Now obviously - some of these recipes won't be Clean. I'm highlighting this site so you get a feel for the sweet potato's diversity. It's a main course - it is a side - it is a dessert. It is breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sweet potato frittata - just forget about adding the ham there, buddy boy. Parsnip, Sweet Potato, and Bulgar wheat - looks kinda yummy, no? Browse through the 100 pics and click on one that amuses you. Pick a recipe that can be scrubbed Clean - and you've got a winner. C'mon - you know Sweet Potato sushi is very cool!

How amazingly cute are these little guys? Last night I was Stumbling around the Internet I came upon a cooking site where someone had bookmarked these gorgeous little lasagna bites. I was instantly intrigued. I like Italian food. I like little personal sized portions. How cute would these be for a party? Then I scanned the recipe - it was essentially Clean! Petite Lasagnas recipe slightly adapted from Hungry Girl (makes 12) 12 oz raw ground turkey ¼ tsp salt, divided ¼ tsp pepper 1 cup chopped onion ½ cup chopped mushrooms 14.5 oz can organic crushed tomatoes, or organic / homemade tomato sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tsp dried oregano, divided ½ tsp dried basil 1 ½ cups part skim organic ricotta cheese 24 small square wonton wrappers (the kind near the tofu in the refrigerated section of the produce dept - make sure you read the label to chose a brand that is simply made) 1 1/2 cups organic shredded mozzarella cheese Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add...

It used to be that coupons for natural or organic foods were few and far between. As more Americans are cleaning up their diet and going Clean / Natural / Organic, manufacturers have responded in kind with an explosion of food choices. Now mind you, some of these Organic choices aren't Clean - but I've found a wonderful website to start saving you some money when you go to the store. OrganicFoodCoupons.com is a wonderful resource for the Clean Eater who is looking to save money while grocery shopping. Let's face it; organic food IS more expensive than processed junk. If you are new to the world of IPs ( Internet Printables, as these coupons are called ), read Alison's great advice on the home page first. Then, explore her site and the hundreds of links she provides to products you've seen in the stores but may have passed by due to cost. I promise - if used faithfully, IPs can bring the cost of your groceries way down. Tip: Before you go and print half of an ink ca...

I use my Sundays to get myself ready for the upcoming week so I don't have any excuses to stray off path. What have I done? 1. Went to the grocery store and purchased foods for the upcoming week: eggs, turkey burgers, salad making stuff, Greek yogurt, fruit, chicken breasts, etc. 2. I came home and started processing my purchases. - Boiled the dozen eggs - Grilled the 4 turkey burgers on the George Foreman grill; they are cooling on the counter so they can be packaged up. - Butterfly cut the chicken to make 2 pieces out of 1 breast ( chicken breasts these days are huge and the portion is too much ) and they will go on the George Foreman next. - Hulled and sliced 1 lb of strawberries ( on sale! ) for addition to the Greek yogurt for this week's breakfasts -Separated my bananas ( Thanks, Violent Indifference for the tip! ) to slow ripening so the bananas will last the upcoming week -Cleaned and washed the peppers, cucumber, etc for this week's salads. I don't cut them unt...

When I saw this recipe for sirloin with a pepper tomato reduction, I instantly thought of my friend Violent Indifference's Grand Marnier Steak recipe he got from another blogger and raved about. Well, I don't drink alcohol, and alcohol isn't clean - but I've been thinking about this steak since then. For VI to rave about it like this - it must be good. So when this recipe came along - I knew it would be something for my CE repertoire. ( I don't have a pic of the steak just yet - but this is the closest thing I could find. Mentally substitute those brussel sprouts for squash - and you get the idea. ) Ingredients 1 tsp red chile powder 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 1/2 tsp Onion Powder 1/2 tsp Spices, Ground Black Pepper 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 16 oz Boneless Sirloin Steak 1 medium Zucchini (raw) - cut into 2 inch pieces 1 medium Yellow Squash - cut into 2 inch pieces 1/2 medium Yellow Onion - quartered and separated 1/2 cup Tomatoes Diced 1/2 c Water 2 tsp worcestershire sau...

If you are able, try and get your hands on this limited edition magazine stand issue of Quick and Easy Meals by Clean Eating Magazine. It retailed for $9.99 and sold on newstands at the end of last year. I was fortunate to pick one up. Like all of the CE products, this one is beautifully photographed,  well researched, and has delicious recipes. Many great CE recipes - there are 8 separate sections for recipes: School Lunches ( Nut free ) Afternoon Snacks Under 5 Ingredients ( I love clean AND simple! ) Budget Friendly Weekend Brunch Brown Bag Work Lunches ( awesome ) Desserts Holidays If you can't find it locally, place an order for it through Clean Eating's website: Clean Eating Maqgazine : Books Marketplace - Definitely worth it if you are looking for more CE recipes or are stuck in a food rut. Definitely worth it if you are starting out in CE - there are a lot of great tips, and from reading the easy recipes will get a good overview of Clean Eating.

Chocolate - real, honest, dark chocolate - is kind of clean. Ingredients? Ground and tempered cocoa beans, sugar ( CE in the "It comes from the Earth" sense but white sugars are so overprocessed as to be unclean ... ), milk, lecithin ( a naturally occurring fatty lipid that binds chocolate ingredients together ), flavorings like vanilla, and maybe veg oil. Now, most people who are CE only use cocoa powder, as it is much healthier and cleaner than bar chocolate. It adds that chocolate zing to dessert recipes that you may have forsaken in your quest for CE. I'm not purporting real chocolate to be Clean by any means - but I am trying to relay that what you think might be chocolate isn't really chocolate at all. Due to the tremendous increase in the cost of cocoa beans in the last 10 years, many chocolatiers have reformulated their chocolates to be a candy substance that the USDA doesn't even legally allow them to call chocolate anymore. Instead of adding pure cocoa ...

One thing I've been thinking about is recreating favorite "convenience" foods for my family. So, here is the first post in my new series:Clean Eating Swap Outs First up: Fish Sticks My son loves fish sticks, and weaning my family away from the packaged convenience foods I'd grown accustomed to has been...slow. My son is definitely missing the fish sticks. Factory produced: Processed fish sticks are made from minced bits of fish, stuck together with starches, fillers, and artifical flavorings that actually mask the natural taste of the fish. They are normally sprayed with oil to achieve that nice golden brown in your oven.  And home made: Make a double batch of these, and freeze one batch so you have them ready for a quick weeknight meal. Fish Stick Recipe Courtesy of America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2010 Ingredients: 1/5 cup whole wheat bread crumbs 2 tbsp parsley, chopped 1/4 cup all-purpose almond or whole grain flour ...

This is one of those quotes that applies to a lot of things - but it is particularly good for the beginning Clean Eater. Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible. - Saint Francis of Assisi Start Clean Eating slowly. Remove some of the most potently hazardous foods from your diet - those ones you know aren't good for you : soda, fast food, fried food, candy. Get used to the removal of these items. Then, conquer areas one at a time. Always eat a doughnut with your morning coffee? Switch to a healthy muffin, or yogurt and fruit. Take the cream sauces away from dinner. One step at a time - slowly - you will clean your diet. 

[Extracted from the web pages of www.ihealthdirectory.com & www.suite101.com] Health benefits of pine bark extracts include lower blood pressure, high levels of antioxidants, improvements in memory and reduced inflammation. Health Benefits of Pine Bark Extracts – Pycnogenol Supplements French maritime pine bark extracts are recognised to be rich in flavonoids, which are identified as being significantly more powerful than both vitamin C and vitamin E, as well as much more active than grapeseed extracts. For many years, herbalists have been using bark extracts from the French maritime pine (Pinus maritima) as means to treat a number of health conditions. The extracts may be bought from health food stores and pharmacies, and are known as "Pycnogenol." The maritime pine tree lives in the western Mediterranean and can be found throughout parts of Spain, Italy, France, Morocco and Portugal. Discovered many years ago, in the 1500′s by a French explorer, the bark ha...